Venue shopping lays the foundation for your entire wedding design. With everything from location to logistics to consider and a whole slew of opinions to sift through, knowing what makes a perfect wedding venue can be tricky. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question, but there are a handful of things you should consider when choosing a venue that’s a perfect fit for you and your wedding day vision.

Logistics

Logistics aren’t the most exciting place to start when venue shopping, but they’re, hands down, the most important. Above all else, a venue has to work for your wedding. When you shop for your wedding day digs, people always tell you not to try on dresses (or suits) that are way out of your budget, because you don’t want to fall in love with something you’ll never end up getting. Think of venue shopping the same way. If the logistics don’t work, nothing else matters. Have a list of non-negotiables ready, and make sure the venue you’re considering can accommodate all of them. If it can’t (and if you’re not willing to budge yourself), then save yourself the heartbreak and don’t look at the venue!

Service

Service comes in second on our list of what makes for a perfect wedding venue. No matter how stunning a venue may be, if you’re simply not jiving with their on-site coordinator or feel their customer service has been terrible, it’s probably not worth booking the venue. If you’re having trouble getting anyone to answer your questions or respond to your inquiries from the get-go, things will probably only get worse after you’ve signed on the dotted line. This one comes down to trusting your instincts. You may love the venue, but the people matter more. If you’re not feeling good about their on-site team, we say don’t book it.

"You may love the venue, but the people matter more. If you’re not feeling good about their on-site team, we say don’t book it."

Location

You likely have an idea of where you want to get married. Maybe it’s in the forested mountains of Lake Tahoe or on a chic rooftop in New York—if you’ve always pictured your wedding taking place in a certain location with a certain aesthetic, you obviously want to see that vision through when venue shopping. Remember, though, along with location comes some logistical considerations—like parking—so don’t forget about those!

Feasibility for Guests

While your own desires for your venue should come first, you also want to weigh those against the feasibility of the venue for your guests. If you want to have your fragile 85-year-old grandmother at the wedding ceremony, but the venue you’re looking at is only accessible by a set of 500 steep stairs that lead to a sandy beach, you’re going to have to decide on which is more important—having Grandma there or saying “I do” at that venue. Likewise, if it’s important for you to have a ton of your friends and family there, you don’t want to choose an across-the-globe location that will require your guests to book expensive plane tickets and accommodations, as this will cut your guest list down significantly.

Overall, venue shopping is all about knowing what you want, trusting your instincts, and considering logistics and guests! Keeping the four considerations we broke down today in mind before you sign on the dotted line will ensure you choose a venue that’s perfectly suited for your swanky celebration!

Hero photo courtesy of Lucy Munoz, Venue by The Guild Hotel, Planning by Amorology

View the full feature in Volume 1 of The Aisle magazine